[chasetb]

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Opening lead is the ♣ King.

Experts, please use spoilers. Like my hint -

Spoiler

When I played it with GIB, a different lead meant I went down

[billw55]

Doesn't seem too hard.

Spoiler

Looks like a high crossruff. So I will not lead trumps. I duck trick one, and if they lead a trump, I take that and duck a heart. They lead trump again, and I reach 8 tricks via two round suit aces, four round suit ruffs, and two natural trump tricks. The defense can also cash 3 diamonds at any time, but cannot take a 6th trick.

If ops can lead trumps 3 times, 2♠ cannot be made. This requires a trump on opening lead, and also the defender with longer trumps must take the second ducked trick.

[nige1]

chasetb asks "Opening lead is the ♣ King. Experts, please use spoilers."

Non-expert effort

Spoiler

Similar to billw55: Win ♣A and ♥A. Exit in ♥. Win ♠ return. Ruff a ♥ low. Exit in ♣. Win ♠ return. Cross-ruff high. With luck, you make 2 Aces and 6 trump tricks.

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[MrAce]

billw55, on 2016-October-10, 13:53, said:

Doesn't seem too hard.

Spoiler

Looks like a high crossruff. So I will not lead trumps. I duck trick one, and if they lead a trump, I take that and duck a heart. They lead trump again, and I reach 8 tricks via two round suit aces, four round suit ruffs, and two natural trump tricks. The defense can also cash 3 diamonds at any time, but cannot take a 6th trick.

If ops can lead trumps 3 times, 2♠ cannot be made. This requires a trump on opening lead, and also the defender with longer trumps must take the second ducked trick.

How will you play if they never play spades?


Assume they cashed 3 diamonds and continued clubs. When you play 2 rounds of ♥ East took it and played 3rd round of ♣. Will you play for 4-3 ♣ or will you ruff high? Which one are you ruffing with?
You have to ruff with J in case W has T. Just to see clubs were actually 4-3. And ruff 3rd ♥ in dummy. Now what?
Assume you cashed ♠A one round. And then?

[alok c]

billw55, on 2016-October-10, 13:53, said:

Doesn't seem too hard.

Spoiler

Looks like a high crossruff. So I will not lead trumps. I duck trick one, and if they lead a trump, I take that and duck a heart. They lead trump again, and I reach 8 tricks via two round suit aces, four round suit ruffs, and two natural trump tricks. The defense can also cash 3 diamonds at any time, but cannot take a 6th trick.

If ops can lead trumps 3 times, 2♠ cannot be made. This requires a trump on opening lead, and also the defender with longer trumps must take the second ducked trick.

Not so simple,somebody may have ♠10xx & may overruff 3/4 ♣ or 4th ♥.As East shown 3carder♥ you are to ruff 4th♥ high.So you are to preserve one high ♠ in hand to take two trump tricks.If they return a trump,it is easy as you are getting a free finesse.But if they continue with ♦,♣,♥ you either have to assume West has 3carder ♣ or finesse ♠10 /assume its position in East or West hand.

[nige1]

Spoiler

As Mr Ace points out, if opponents don't keep leading trumps and you manage to ruff a ♥ low, then you cross-ruff high. ♣A, ♥A, ♥ ruff low, ruffs with ♠AKQJ. Finally, your ♠8 and ♠9 are equals against ♠T

[alok c]

nige1, on 2016-October-11, 08:00, said:

Spoiler

As Mr Ace points out, if opponents don't keep leading trumps and you manage to ruff a ♥ low, then you cross-ruff high. ♣A, ♥A, ♥ ruff low, ruffs with ♠AKQJ. Finally, your ♠8 and ♠9 are equals against ♠T

You can ruff ♥ only twice & they have already taken 5 tricks.

[nige1]

alok c, on 2016-October-11, 08:17, said:

You can ruff ♥ only twice & they have already taken 5 tricks.

Duh! alok c is right Perhaps there's no safe line

[billw55]

MrAce, on 2016-October-10, 19:49, said:

How will you play if they never play spades?

Assume they cashed 3 diamonds and continued clubs. When you play 2 rounds of ♥ East took it and played 3rd round of ♣. Will you play for 4-3 ♣ or will you ruff high? Which one are you ruffing with?
You have to ruff with J in case W has T. Just to see clubs were actually 4-3. And ruff 3rd ♥ in dummy. Now what?

By this point I may have some additional clues about the distribution. The auction is at least encouraging. As Nigel says, perhaps there is no sure trick line. But 6 trump tricks are obviously necessary (and none for the defense) so alternatives are limited.

[johnu]

You can safely ruff a heart in dummy because East has shown 3 hearts. If opponents don't play trumps, you either have to ruff the 4th heart with the ♠8 or ruff a club with ♠9. Without more details about the distribution, you don't know who has ♠10. Looks like a 50-50 chance either opponent could have it. But ruffing a club with ♠9 gives an additional chance since clubs may be 4-3 so West can't overruff, and if they are 5-2, then maybe they can't overruff.

[Tramticket]

I agree - there is no 100% line of play that I can see and the choice comes down to either ruffing the third club with the 9♠ or the fourth heart with the 8♠.

The lead of the K ♣is consistent with an original KX, KQX or even KQXX. Ruffing the third round of clubs with the 9♠ only fails if West led from ♣KX and started with ♠10X(X)(X).

The chance of a diamond trick should not be dismissed. West has already shown the king of clubs and if west's one heart bid includes a heart honour it seems to me that the chances of finding East with both the ace and king of diamonds are quite good, given that East opened the bidding.

I think the best line is: win A♣, cash the A♥ and exit in hearts. The defence may cash their five tricks (although if East has ♦AK this might not be possible) and will probably then lead a club - take a deep breath and ruff with the ♠9. If it succeeds the contract makes on a high cross-ruff.

[MrAce]

Tramticket, on 2016-October-12, 05:38, said:

I agree - there is no 100% line of play that I can see and the choice comes down to either ruffing the third club with the 9♠ or the fourth heart with the 8♠.

The lead of the K ♣is consistent with an original KX, KQX or even KQXX. Ruffing the third round of clubs with the 9♠ only fails if West led from ♣KX and started with ♠10X(X)(X).

The chance of a diamond trick should not be dismissed. West has already shown the king of clubs and if west's one heart bid includes a heart honour it seems to me that the chances of finding East with both the ace and king of diamonds are quite good, given that East opened the bidding.

I think the best line is: win A♣, cash the A♥ and exit in hearts. The defence may cash their five tricks (although if East has ♦AK this might not be possible) and will probably then lead a club - take a deep breath and ruff with the ♠9. If it succeeds the contract makes on a high cross-ruff.

W was not on lead. E led ♣ K

[alok c]

Indeed there is no safe line.Another line of play is take ♣A,♥A & exit a ♥.After taking their 5 tricks if East leads 3rd ♣ ruff high, ruff a♥,cash ♠A,ruff a♣high & take ♠ finesse through West -it will be successful whenever West held ♠10 even if he held ♣xx.So for different line of play to succeed ultimately it boils down to how many ♣ West holds or position of ♠10.

[Tramticket]

MrAce, on 2016-October-12, 07:04, said:

W was not on lead. E led ♣ K

Oops!

Lots of space for west to have a top diamond then and I fear that the diamond suit is unlikely to supply a trick!